Hooking AE to existing wireless network

I may be missing something totally obvious, but i'm unable to get the AE to utilize an existing wireless network (it's open, i gave up on WEP hours ago).
I have two PCs, one desktop that connects to the internet via Cat5 connection to Linksys Router and one laptop that connects to the internet via wireless access point (same Linksys Router). Stumped at how to connect the AE to the existing wireless network, I was able to get the laptop to connect to the wireless network created by the AE and even play iTunes through said connection. However, the laptop is unable to actually connect to the internet through the network created by the AE. Is this how it's supposed to work? Two dead ends
PC Windows XP

The instructions provided in this discussion by David Lovell are for a bare-bones installation. If you cannot get your Airport Express to function as a wireless client on your Linksys router's wireless network, then nothing else will work. See:
David Lovell, "Airtunes for XP with a Wired/Wireless network" #1, 09:05pm Jan 8, 2005 CDT
You MUST follow these instructions to the letter - and the instructions tell you to remove all wireless security from your router. This includes WEP and MAC address filtering. Once you have proven you can get the setup to work in this manner, we can (later) try to walk you through the process of adding back 128-bit WEP security to your wireless network.

Similar Messages

New Mac Mini - Existing Wireless Network - Can't Connect

I have an existing wireless network that works fine with an iBook G3. I just hooked up my Mac Mini and it can see the network, but it can't connect. The menu of available networks on the Mac Mini is also much more limited than that of the iBook. Is there an interference issue? If yes, why does the iBook working?
Mac Mini 1.66GHz Intel Core Duo Mac OS X (10.4.8) iBook G3

I see a string of discussions under Mac Mini.

Extend Existing Wireless Network

I am trying to extend my existing wireless network. I think I have it set up correctly, but I have a question about it. I initially had the network set up with a 2WIRE modem (AT&T) and an Airport Extreme. It has been really sluggish as of late, so I re-positioned the modem and AE (out of entertainment cabinet) and now it's more out in the open.
After doing that my Macbook which I use upstairs was running pretty fast, but the iMac which is downstairs and on the same level as the modem/AE was running very slowly. So, I thought I'd extend the network using an Airport Express. I think I have it set up correctly, since everything seems to be working just fine, BUT the question I have is...does the Express HAVE to be plugged int the modem in order to extend the network?
I thought the whole point of using the Express to extend the network is that you could have the Express in between the modem/AE and the computer - on the same level of the house or another level, or at least in another rom on the same level.
I hope I've explained my situation well enough for anyone to be able to provide assistance. Everything is working fine, but I guess I'm looking for some reassurance that I've done things correctly
and maybe a better understanding of how extending a network really works.
Thanks in advance for any help.
Julie

Hello Julie
To extend your wireless network I suggest you do the following;
Take the express and extreme into the same room. Ideally, plug the extreme into your modem using an ethernet cable and have the express hooked up to power on its own in the same room.
I would reset both device to their factory defaults and start over. To reset the devices to factory defaults, unplug them from their power source, hold down the recessed reset button while plugging them back into to power and continue to hold the reset button until the one LED begins to flash rapidly.
Do this with the extreme and the express. Now open airport utility, select your airport extreme and set it up from the start using the continue button and answer all the questions. Once the extreme is setup, you should see a large green checkmark. See the mac you set it up with can connect to the internet.
If you are on the internet through your extreme's wireless network you're almost there.
Step 1. Using airport utility select the airport express and click continue. The key here is to ask the express to join an existing wireless network when the question arrises.
This should do the trick for you.
Alternate to step 1. If you want to you can skip step 1 above and select your extreme using airport utility, go to the Base Station menu and select Manual Setup, click the Airport icon from the manual setup window, click the Wireless tab and put a tick next to "Allow this network to be extended". This will instruct the extreme to allow its wireless network to be extended. Update your extreme after turning on this option and give it about one minute to update itself.
Now, using airport utility, setup your express to using the continue button and instruct it to join an existing wireless network when the question comes up.
So you have two options, either should do.
Hopefully this was not too difficult. Airport utility will still see the two airport routers but from your airport menu you will always see only one network because the extreme and express behave as though they are one large network.
Consider unplugging the express now and moving it to the other floor. After you take the express upstairs, give it a minute and if it is in range of your extreme it will assume a green light, if on the other hand it continues to flash amber it's possible that it's too far from the extreme. In this case consider plugging the express into a wall socket nearer to the express.
Does this help?
Most of what I explained might be better explained by Apple, see page 43 of http://manuals.info.apple.com/enUS/Apple_AirPort_NetworksEarly2009.pdf. The steps on page 43 are what you would do with your extreme - to extend its wireless network.
Let me know how it goes.
If your devices are under 90 days old you still have complimentary phone support. If you have an AppleCare protection plan on your mac one of your devices are covered for hardware support and the 3 years phone support. If you are eligible AppleCare will be able to walk you through this.

I have a mid-2010 iMac and just purchased a 2TB TC, can't join existing wireless network with AC standard so attached to iMac via ethernet with TC wifi turned off. How do i access TC now? not showing up in disk utility or on desktop. working fine with TM

I have a mid-2010 iMac and just purchased a 2TB TC, I just found out that it can't join existing wireless network with new AC standard so attached to iMac via ethernet with TC's wifi turned off. How do i access TC now? not showing up in disk utility or on desktop. It is working fine with TM. My cheeper seagate drives etc kept crashing, so i didnt trust cheeper back up options anymore. Connected those drives to TM via firewire and could see the drives and access them.
Also, I didn't want to bridge TC with my new fios router that I paid 100 dollars for, to get N speed and also paying 10 dollars more a month for fast speed. I heard that bridging slows down everything and then there can be port issues with mail etc. I connect to the internet via airport only and it is pretty fast. Getting over 50mbs downloads and over 30mbs uploads. Plus everything in my home it connected to my fios router, airport express for music streaming, two apple tvs, vuezone camer system. I really didn't want to monkey around too much with my system. But are there other options to connect the new TC. Can't find info anywhere for this and called apple who gave me the info above. after hanging up, i see that i cant access my TC and I am wondering if i would have to reset it to turn wifi on again to make changes to the drive, turn off blinking light or repair it in disk utility if it should become corrupted.
For other with similar issues i did solve some other problems: when i connected it to my ethernet port on my iMac wifi stopped working. Found that I had to turn off the ethernet in the system>network screen, but then TM didn't see the TC so i restarted after changes and then it saw it.
Now a rant. I can't believe in this wireless age that Apple would make a product that cant join a wireless net work. The apple rep said i could return it and look for the previous TC that would join an existing wireless network. Are we going backwards?
Thanks!
lennydas

Ok... it is getting a bit clearer but there are still some questions.
I connect to the internet via airport only and it is pretty fast.
I was assuming airport in this statement in your first post meant the TC or the Express.. but I now realise we are still in the mass confusion stage where apple calls everything wireless an airport. So what you mean is the airport internal card of the computer??
Also, I didn't want to bridge TC with my new fios router that I paid 100 dollars for, to get N speed and also paying 10 dollars more a month for fast speed. I heard that bridging slows down everything and then there can be port issues with mail etc.
I think this is mistaken.
Putting the TC in bridge mode plugged into your FIOS will not slow the network.. nor will it cause mail or port issues.. in bridge the TC is just a fancy WAP and switch plus the network hard drive.
If the computer is close it will be faster than the FIOS.
You can run both wireless networks with different names.. so it is clear which is which. But you can also setup roaming so the computers themselves pick which is the best wireless.
I tried extending the wireless net work and tried joining wireless network, but the TC kept crashing and I had to keep resetting the TC. the Apple support person said these, extend wireless network and joint wireless network, are no longer a connection option with the new TC because of the new AC protocol.
Thanks again!
You cannot extend to a non-apple wireless router.
You cannot use join a wireless network because when you do the ethernet ports will be cut off.
But that has not changed.. I don't think Apple support is correct.. there has been no change with the AC model.. it is simply a fact that apple routers do not work in join wireless mode other than as a dumb client. The same applies to AC as to the earlier version.. but I have asked another person to check this.
Join in the express is the only apple router that still allows an ethernet connection.
For now you best use of the TC is bridged to the FIOS. Wireless you can sort out between several options.

Can I use a airport express to get internet connection to a Mac Mini that doesn't have wireless by adding it to my existing wireless network?

I bought a first gen Mac Mini for our daughter and it doesn't have internal airport adapter and was wondering if I got a airport express can I plug it in my daughters room and use it as a local router and just use the eithernet connect from it. Or would a airport extreme work better for this job. I have a wireless cable modem that we connect to. I also have a second question I have a iMac G4 that picks up the wireless signal but will not connect to it does it have to be a Apple airport for it to work or should it be able to connect to any broadcasted signal. Thanks for the help.

I'm not sure I quite understand. Do you wish to use the AEX to provide a wireless connection for a device that has an Ethernet port but no wireless capability of its own? You wish to use it in place of a wireless card that isn't internally installed? If so, the answer is, "Yes." It will work as a wireless access point. But you must have an extant wireless network because the AEX won't have an Internet connection when used in this way.
If you have an existing wireless network with a wireless router connected to your cable/DSL model or your modem is a wireless router as well, then the AEX may connect to it in bridge mode. Note that AEXs don't always play nice with non-Apple routers. Some work; others don't.

Connecting a wrt54g to an existing wireless network

Hi,
I'm wondering if it's possible to create a second wireless network by connecting a wrt54g to our existing wireless network?
Our main router is upstairs, connection in the downstairs office is terrible, plus it's being used by a team that would like their own network anyways. Can I plug the wrt54g into the main router, assign it a static external IP and create a second wireless network?
thanks

great thread toomanydoughnuts, thanks! all the hours I spend googling for an answer are such a waste when I can post a specific question and a human being answers me back :-)
I see that what I was trying to do is possible but before I start let me ask your opinion.
My initial goal for a seperate network was to give Router 2 a static external IP and connect our server to router 2 so external users would always be able to access it at the same address in case Router 1 ever had an IP change (I don't have constant access to router 1 and am not supposed to be fiddling with it!)
The secondary goal was to improve the wireless signal for those of us downstairs and I figure having Router 2 down there would provide a nice strong signal.
I have realized now that dyndns can solve my issue with Router 1's IP changing (even if it's once a month it's an issue for remote users accessing our server). Dyndns will re-point our host name to the new IP if it ever changes.
But I still have the issue of a very weak signal in the downstairs office.
Because I'm seeking the simplest, easiest to manage solution as I'm far from a network guru, do you think a better option may be to get a repeater or something like that for our downstairs office to just boost the signal from Router 1? If so, any recommendations?
thanks in advance for your time
Oh, and if I did go the route of setting up Router 2, could I give Router 2 a static external IP address?
Message Edited by tiphanai on 10-06-2009 07:13 AM

How do I use a 2nd Airport Extreme plugged into an Ethernet Wall Plug to join an existing wireless network to give me a better signal upstairs?

I have a 5th generation Airport Extreme giving me a great wireless signal on the 1st floor of my house. However the signal upstairs is weak. So I purchased another 5th generation Airport Extreme that I would like to plug into an ethernet wall plug upstairs. I would then like to have the upstairs Airport Extreme join the same network thus giving me a good wirelss signal upstairs. I have a MacBook Pro running OS 10.7.4. Can somebody give me step-by-step directions to set up the upstairs Airport Extreme?

I assume that the new AirPort Extreme is still in its original factory default settings.
Before you connect the AirPort Extreme, please connect a laptop to the Ethernet cable that will be used for the connection and turn off the wireless on the laptop. Make sure that you can can connect to the Internet before you begin to configure the AirPort Extreme.
Disconnect the Ethernet cable from the laptop and connect it to the WAN "O" port on the upstairs AirPort Extreme and power it up.
Open Macintosh HD > Applications > Utilities > AirPort Utility 6.1
Look in the upper left hand corner of the screen for a tab or box that reads "Other AirPort Base Stations (1)"
Click on that box,then click on the name AirPort Extreme xxxxxx
Wait a moment while AirPort Utility analyzes the network and then displays a message that the AirPort Extreme will be configured to extend your existing wireless network.
Enter a Base Station (device) name for the AirPort Extreme (and a device password if prompted), then click Next.
Wait another minute or two until AirPort Utility notifies you that the AirPort Extreme has been Set Up.
That's it.

Can't joint existing wireless network

I have an AX used only for iTunes. It's set up wirelessly. It recently stopped working and I can't get the AX to re-connect to the existing wireless network. No matter what I try, all I get is a blinking amber light on the AX.
I have a Netgear wireless router, an iMac wired to the wireless router, and a PowerBook G4 that's wireless. I've only used the PowerBook to send iTunes to the AX.
I've hard-reset the AX and have tried both utilities (Airport Setup Assistant and Airport Admin Utility) reconnect to the wireless network. The set-up process goes fine but after the last step (Update), the AX reboots but never shows up in iTunes.
Another thing I've noticed, but don't know its relevance to the current problem: when I reset the AX with (because I've tried resetting without) the ethernet line connected, the reset results in a solid green light (yay). But when I unplug the ethernet line, it goes back to blinking amber.
Help! I need my music.

Give this a whirl. Reset your AX so that it's in a factory default state. Go to your Airport icon on your Mac and connect to the AX rather than your own network, and set up the AX there. Leave it for the time being as being a separate network. Then go into the Airport utility and you'll see the AX. Can't remember which tab it's under, but there is an option there to have the AX join a wireless network as a client. Tell it to do that and save your settings, and it should be fine. My experience of setting up an AX via ethernet is that it promptly forgets everything after you disconnect it.

Can't connect AE to existing wireless network

I can't get my AE to connect to my existing wireless network. I saw the other thread on this and followed those steps, but it didn't work. Here's what I did:
1. Connected the AE to my D-Link DIR-655 wireless router via ethernet cable.
2. Opened Airport Utility and established a connection to the AE.
3. Renamed the AE and entered a password.
4. In the "wireless" tab, I selected "join existing network", chose my wireless network, selected the security type (WPA Personal) and entered the password.
5. In the "music" tab, I named the speakers and entered a password.
So far so good. I clicked "update" and the AE restarted. After a while I received an error message informing me that the base station could no longer be detected. According to the directions posted in the other thread, this is actually supposed to be a sign that the AE is now in client mode and all is well.
I unplugged the ethernet cable from the AE and router and then went to the other room. I plugged the AE into the speakers and then plugged the AE into the wall.
However, instead of a green light all I have is a flashing amber light, even after several minutes. No connection.
I reset the AE and repeated the steps above, to no avail. Still a flashing amber light.
Any ideas?

I'm having a similar issue. My AE is connected directly to a Netgear WGR614v4 router, and I run through all the steps you mentioned. When I choose to update the settings to the AE, I get the same "error" you mentioned about the AE not being found, and I also took that as a sign that I'm in client mode. I moved the AE to the other room, connected my mini cable to the stereo, then plugged the AE back into the wall. The AE runs through its setup and eventually gets a solid green light, so I'm thinking all is well.
The problem is that I then log back into the AirPort Utility on my laptop and the AE is not shown in the top left like it should be. After doing a bit of reading, I've figured out that I can manually find it by going to File>Configure Other and entering the AE's IP address and password. Then I get a window showing the details of the AE, its name, network, encryption, etc. However, if I close this window, it still doesn't show up in the main AirPort Utility screen and I'm not sure how to configure it for AirTunes.
Hoping that's just a bug with the AirPort Utility software, I open up iTunes to see if I can locate it there. I know I should see a pulldown menu at the bottom of iTunes that gives me an option for AE as my audio output method, but the menu is not there. Now I'm completely stuck.
At this point I decide to start from scratch, so I do a Factory Default reset by pressing down the reset button on the AE as I plug it into the wall. Now it is supposedly reset, so I plug it back into my router, then it runs through a setup sequence and lights up solid green before I've even done anything. It shows up in AirPort Utility with a default base station ID, but my computer won't connect to it at all. I'm hoping I can try to reset it again this evening and at least get back to the normal setup screen, but I'm really not sure what I could do differently at this point.
This is frustrating and I'm on the verge of giving up, but I REALLY want this to work out.

Can't connect to existing wireless network

I have a Qwest wireless modem (model 2701hg-d) and am trying to set up the Airport Express (AX) to use already existing wireless network wirelessly (ie without the ethernet cable). Is this possible? Do I need a wireless router instead?
In order to set it up I have the AX plugged into the modem via an ethernet cable. I have reset the AX and then run the Admin Utility. Once it recognizes the AX I then go to the Airport tab and select 'Join an Existing wireless Network (wireless client)' and then enter in the Network Name exactly as it is spelled in my modem configuration. I check the 'Internet' tab and it says connect using: Wireless Network and the 'Network' tab is grayed out. Then I hit update and the admin utility no longer lists the AX and the AX light is blinking amber. Not sure what is going on. I am using v6.3 of the firmware. I have read the posts extensively and am wondering if my modem is not capable of handling this?

Hi
Not exactly certain if your situation is like mine, but you could check out this previous post:
http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=917767&tstart=0
If you are trying to achieve wireless bridging then I don’t think APX will work with that particular router.
HTH

Setting up Time Capsule for backup only on existing wireless network

I have a wireless network already set up with a NetGear wireless router. Cable plugs into router, router connected via ethernet cable to my Power Mac G5 desktop, plus 2 PC laptops in the house also connect wirelessly to the home network via this router.
I want to set up Time Capsule as an external hard drive to back up all three computers -- I don't necessarily need to use it as a wireless router although i'm not opposed to that if it's easier to do it that way.
When i try to set it up using AirPort utility, i get the amber flashing light. Airport utility is able to discover the device, and then always asks if it's OK to switch networks. I've tried both "switch" and "don't switch"; either way when i try to set it up, AirPort utility stalls out on "Reading Time Capsule Configuration"; eventually giving me the error msg: "Base Station Error: AirPort Utility was unable to find your Apple wireless device."
All i want to do is mount it as an external hard drive so i can use Time Machine for backup, and be able to use it to also back up the PC laptops wirelessly. I need help in the following three areas:
1. How should I be physically connecting my devices if i want to do this? Which cables go in which ports? There is only one ethernet port on the back of my G5. The G5 can connect to the router either wirelessly OR via ethernet cable. I've tried G5-->Time Capsule-->Router, G5-->Router-->Time Capsule, Router-->G5 PLUS Router-->Time Capsule, and I've tried every variation on the regular ethernet and WAN ports. What's the right way to do this.
2. If i'm not setting up the TC as a Wireless Router, is AirPort utility even the right tool for setting it up? it seems to be confused by the two wireless networks and won't let me get past that point. Am I supposed to click "Switch" when it asks me to switch networks? Is there a way to just mount it as an external drive and bypass the AirPort utility setup entirely?
3. Once i get it set up so it's visible as an external drive and usable for Time Machine backup, how do i then make it available to the other PCs on the network so they can back up to it also?
Thanks for your help.

sarah,
You already have an existing wireless network.
You do not need to plug the Time Capsule into anything except power.
Set the Time Capsule to "Join an existing wireless network"...
That is all you need to do.
Then all the computers should see the Time Capsule.
If you can't see "Join an existing wireless network" in the choices, hold down on the option key and then click on the choices.
Give that a try.

I am unable to join my existing wireless network with new AirPort Express

I am unable to join my existing wireless network with new AirPort Express.
I am using a DLink DI-524 Router, Windows 7 (64), and the AirPort Express.
AirPort Utility will not recognize the AEX wirelessly, it will only recognize it when it is connected by Ethernet. I can then configure the AEX and verify that the settings stick once disconnected and then reconnected. However, even after that, it will not recognize the AEX once disconnected from the Ethernet cable.
I followed the suggestions of several other threads on these forums. But I am unable to get the AEX to work.
Any suggestions? Thanks in advance.

Welcome to the discussion area!
It's almost always a security setting that causes problems when the Airport Express (AX) tries to join a third party wireless network. The AX usually does not "join" correctly and that's why you can't see it on your wireless network using AirPort Utility.
Using an ethernet cable is still the more reliable way to configure and adjust the AX, but if you are want to try to configure it using wireless, you must return the AX back to factory defaults as follows:
Power down the AX
Hold in the reset button +and keep holding it in+ as you plug the AX back in to power
Release the reset button after 10 seconds
When it is set to factory defaults, the AX broadcasts a wireless signal with a network name like "apple network xxxxxx" where the "x's" are either letters or numbers. You must look for this network by clicking on the fan shaped Airport icon at the top of the screen. If you don't see this network, then click Join Other Network to search that way. Unless you connect to this network, you will not be able to configure the AX using wireless.
Do you know the exact security type that your D-Link router is using? That is the key element in the process.
Open AirPort utility, click Manual Setup
Click the Base Station tab to establish a name for the AX, device password and adjust time zone settings
Click the Wireless tab
Wireless Mode....Join a wireless network
Wireless Network Name...must exactly match your D-Link wireless network name
Enable ethernet clients if you want the port to be active (your D-Link must be compatible with ProxySTA for this to work)
Wireless Security...exact setting of the D-Link network. WEP security causes a lot of issues. Try to use WPA/WPA2 Personal, which is far more secure.
Wireless Password...must match the D-Link network
Click the Music icon to enable AirTunes
Click Update to save settings
Any luck?

WRT54GC config to connect a wired-printer on existing wireless network

Hello everyone,
I hope someone can help me with the following issue :
- I have an existing wireless network at home, set up with a wireless router/dsl connection
- I now have been given a wired-printer, and I'd like to connect my printer to the existing wireless network, using a WRT54GC device.
I have been trying for a while, and I believe but can't manage to configure the device do this, and didn't find this in the forum yet.
As anyone already done this successfully ?
Thank you

What is the make and model of your printer? What type of connections does it have -- ethernet port? USB port? Parallel port?
If your printer has an ethernet port, you can wire it directly to your router.
If your printer has only a USB port, you will need a printer server such as the Linksys WPS54G, WPSM54G. These devices will allow you to use the printer as a wired or wireless printer. Both of these devices support USB 1.1 and USB 2.0
I do not recommend the Linksys PSUS4 (wired print server with 4 port switch), because it only supports USB 1.1

Using the AirPort Express to Join an existing Wireless Network

Hello,
I am hoping you can provide me with some help on this... I recelty acquired a PowerMac G4 with a 450 MHz processor, CD-RW/DVD-ROM drive, Zip Drive, 1 GB RAM, and two 40 GB HD... The system has OS 10.4 installed, and it is has built-in Ethernet...
I was told I could use the Airport Express to connect to an existing wireless network, so I purchased an Airport Express base Station... Thing is, to e honest, I am having a bit of a problem getting started...
- First, to connect from the AirPort Express to my G4, do I need a special kind of Ethernet cable, or will the usual kind do?
- Second do I need to istall the software first, or have the Airport express connected to the G4 before I do?
How would I go about setting this up, step-by-step?
Any information would be appreciated...
Thanks for your time...

OK, thanks. Hopefully, the Netgear is creating a wireless network using WPA/WPA2 security. That will make it much easier for the AirPort Express (AX) to join the wireless network. It can join networks with using WEP security, but password issues almost always arise using WEP.
Since you must enter the exact security settings and password for the wireless network, it would help tremendously to know this in advance. Otherwise, it's going to be a series of "trial and errors" and likely frustration, later on.
When you have a moment, check the security settings on the Netgear router.
It might be one of the following: WPA2 Personal, WPA/WPA2 Personal, WEP 128, WEP 40.

I am trying to extend my existing wireless network

I am trying to extend my existing wireless network beyiond an extreme and an express by adding a further express. Is this possible?

This is not possible if you are trying to do this wirelessly, as Apple's "extend a wireless network" feature will only allow the signal to be extended one time.
It is possible to have more than one device extend the network, but each extender must communicate directly to the AiPort Extreme....not to another extender.

Hooking AE to existing wireless network

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